The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1887-12-21
IERALDRY IN AMERICA.
NOTES MADE IN A METROPOLITAN
COAT OF ARMS FACTORY.

Anybody Can Have Coat of Arms by
Paying for It-Chat with an Author
ity on the SubJect-Bogus Coats Of
Arms.
A reporter was strolling through a cross
street the other day when his attention
was attracted by sign over the door Of
one of the basement shops with which the
place abounded. The sign read:
sIIall of Records-Legal, Genealogical,
Heraldic, Family Searches and Investiga-
tons made in all parts of Europe; Herald
ry in all its legal bearings, with full in
terpretations; Family Records of Dutch,
Puritan, French German and English
Families. Fifteen Years the Foreign
Agent OF the New York College Of Herald
ry Two hundred thousand records, co.
900 Of Huguenots; Antique Clocks, Fur
niture, Portraits and Paintings with Ar
mortal Bearings"
The windows above which this lengthy
legend WAS displayed were filed with
collection OF heraldic devices, coats Of
arms painted in bright colors and tlorid
designs on large sheets of paper and
parchment, old book plates and copies of
inscriptions on old tombstones. Inside,
uDol lHt NdllS anu NioblSt WIN htSi6ho
representing coats of arms, which were
ascrioed to nearly all the noted men of
the present time. Around the sides OF
tho room were ranged rows OF tall, brass
faced clocks of the style Of century or
two ago, and several other pieces Of
antique fashioned furniture They were
all made after the same general plan and
method OF ornamentatlon, being built OF
dark colored oak, inlaid with lighter
colored wood resembling maple. Coats Of
arms OF different families and Of various
nationalities were worked into the in
laying. On screen were hung several
time stained cracked oil paintings, while
on dresser In the corner WAS a set
OF crockery very much resembling the
cheap "buo china" manufactured largely
now, and sprinkled around the room were
several bits of old armor, rusty looking
swords, yellow leafed books and anti
quated prints. The place had the appear
ance of an ''old curiosity shop" but at
the same time there was nm air of SINH
larity and uniformity in the contents of
the room that could not but suggest the
possibility OF the various articles having
come from the same factory, and having
been turned out within the last decade.
The similarity of the clocks was particu-
larly startling The genius who presided
in this abode of questionable antiquity
was bald headed, deaf little man, who
seemed to be full of all kinds of heraldic
lore, but ratified his stories off as though
he had learned them by heart from CYCLIC
pedia.
In answer to 4 question as to where all
these antique articles came FROM the re-
porter was Informed that the proprietor
hid brought them over with him'' the
last time no visited Holland "There, "
said he, pointing to ono of the clocks, ''is
Nerplanck clock. | found 1t the last
time was over. l was walking along
the streets of Amsterdam and noticed the
escutcheon of the family built into the
wall of an old house. | got permission
to go up into the attic, and up in the cock
loft-between the attic and the roof
found this old clock. 1t was covered with
beeswax and dirt. l bought it, and
brought it home and fixed it up, There
Is Van Horne clock; here is an Astor
clock; here"--
How do you get hold of your coats of
arms?" inquired the reporter, raising his
voice to make the little man hear him.
"Do You find those in the cocklofts, tooi"
They are all the result Of careful in
vestigation," replied the little man. II
have in my possession over 200, 900 records
of all the leading families in America,
10000 Of Huguenots, and over 10000
copies of inscriptions on tombstones in
Holland and different parts of Europe. |
have them all alphabetically arranged,
and can lay my hand on any one of them
In minute
DO you have much call for the results
of your Investigations was asked.
"Oh, yes; my business is very good"
replied the little man. Il supply coats Of
arms to all the principal families in New
York. They come to me and want me to
look up the history of their family and
paint their coat of arms for them. ! have
such u large number of records that can
almost always find 1t for them
But what do you do in case they have
no coat of arms'" asked the reporter.
ooh, well, in that CASE" replied the lit
Tie man, 'there is no law to hinder man
from adopting one. Sometimes people
don't like the colors of the coats that be-
long to them, and want me to paint them
IN different colors. OF course in that case
/ can only give them certificate that 1t
is painted like copy shown"
The reporter having become interested
III the little deaf mans prattle, concluded
to make = few further inquiries on the
subject, and see if tho heraldry business
was in such fourishng condition as he
represented it, With this object he called
upon Mr.. Edward Vermont, the we'll
known editor of the book entitled Amer
lea Heraldica," and one Of the~ best
authorities on the subject in the country
Mr.. Vermont was found and expressed
himself as very ready to talk upon the
subject.